Banish Belly Bloat!

Look down at your belly.

What does it look like today? What does it feel like buckled in by your belt? Can you become mindful of the sensations going on in there?

One of the biggest concerns my clients come in with when they first come to see me is a problematic digestive system. Often symptoms that arise are bloating, painful distention, gas, retention of excess water, and inability to digest their food properly.

What is going on? There are a number of things to consider:

1) What are you eating?

2) How and where are you eating?

3) When are you eating?

Answers to those 3 questions provide a huge explanation for what may be going on inside that bloated belly.

If you are experiencing digestive upset, here are some probable causes:

Food Allergies/sensitivities:

Food allergies/sensitivities are by far the most offending perpetrators of a mal-functioning digestive system. When your body reacts to foods, inflammation ensues, and often times food is not digested well or takes double the time. The body reacts as if a lethal toxin has been ingested, and pulls out all the histamine forces to the rescue, leaving you bloated, in pain and fatigued.

Get tested and find out what you cannot tolerate. Also consider taking multi enzyme and probiotic supplements. These encourage the type of environment your digestion system favours for optimal function. I will dedicate a future blog to the importance of good gut flora for not only digestion, but for weight loss, inflammatory conditions, and overall wellness.

Most common allergens include : Dairy, eggs, gluten, wheat, sugars, acidic foods, nuts, and seafood.

Stress:

Your tummy has its own neural network, consisting of more pathways than your brain! Its been called the second brain by some medical officials. Therefore it can be triggered, and affected by stress, emotions and negative thoughts. If you are emotional, don't engage in eating a meal. If you are running around, overworked and not mindful when you eat, chances are you are going to have indigestion, which means BLOATING.

Recommendation: This is the primary focus of my work. Come to your breath, take a moment to press pause, and come to an awareness of what is really going on when you sit to eat. Stop eating on the run, stop grabbing a "bar" on the way to the gym and take 5 minutes to actually chew what it is you are ingesting. Digestion starts in the mind. Your thoughts, and state will affect whatever it is you decide to eat, and how you eat matters more than anything when it comes to good digestion.

Junk Food Junkies:

What you eat is important too. Processed junk, white carbohydrates, sugar, caffeine, alcohol, and anything that essentially doesn't come off a plant, tree, vine or shrub has been altered chemically or mechanically in some way. So make the mainstay of your diet, whole non processed foods, and have the rest be condiments that make up 20% or less of your daily diet.

Pathologies, and digestive disease are also critical issues that are becoming almost epidemic in westernized countries. Colitis, diverticulitis, Crohn's, ulcers, chronic constipation, IBS, and cancers must be ruled out before you decide which treatments and therapies are best. Working with your health care practitioner(s) is highly advisable and the most effective way to wellness :)

In health always,

Namaste

Piera